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Status of the California Electricity Situation
                    Complete report                    

Background           

  • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Orders 888 and 889 were put in place in 1996. These regulations allowed for the wholesale trading of electricity (between generators and customers regardless of where they are in the country) and helped California to implement competition at the retail level.

  • In 1996 (when California passed deregulation legislation), the average revenue per kilowatthour (a proxy for price) of electricity sold in California was 9.48 cents, the 10th highest among the 50 States and the District of Columbia. The U.S. average price was 6.86 cents per kilowatthour.

  • During the period from 1990 through 1999, overall demand increased by 11.3 percent. Electric generating capacity decreased by 1.7 percent during the same period.

  • California's reliance on power imports increased with the State currently relying on about 11,000 megawatts of out-of-state capacity. Less than 5,000 megawatts of new capacity is projected to come on line in California by 2004.
    Electricity Shortage in California: Issues for Petroleum and Natural Gas Supply

    Trends in California's Electricity Retail Prices Fact Sheet

    California’s Electricity Situation Briefing for the staff of the
    U.S. House of Representatives
        A Powerpoint Presentation
    (March, 2001, Energy Information Administration)

    Selected California Electric Energy Statistics for 1999

    Useful Information on California's Electricity & Natural Gas. The information shown below provides a quick-reference guide to the Energy Information Administration's (EIA) data sources related to the California electicity crisis. The publications cited are developed from data collected from respondents to various electricity surveys managed by the EIA, as well as information on the California Power Exchange and ISO. Products from EIA's Natural Gas Division are also provided.

    A Snapshot of California Natural Gas Supply and Demand pdf
    California Independent Service Operator (ISO) html
    California Regulatory Commissions and Major Utilities html
    California Energy Commission html
    American Public Power Association html
    Edison Electric Institute pdf
    Standard & Poors Site (Information related to California) html

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